City Ballet The Podcast
Welcome to City Ballet The Podcast, an exploration of New York City Ballet where we'll journey through our history, delve into our new and existing repertory, and reveal insider tidbits. Each season of City Ballet The Podcast features episodes that span three topics: New Combinations hosted by Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan, Hear the Dance hosted by dance educator and former NYCB dancer Silas Farley, and See the Music hosted by Music Director Andrew Litton.
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Episode 145: Hear the Dance: Ballade
09/15/2025
Episode 145: Hear the Dance: Ballade
Hear the Dance host Silas Farley returns for a deep-dive discussion with former Principal Dancer Merrill Ashley and Repertory Director Glenn Keenan on George Balanchine's Ballade, a ballet returning to the NYCB stage after a hiatus of more than 20 years. Keenan shares that when she was a student at the School of American Ballet, Ashley's "humongous care and attention" as a teacher helped shape her approach to her current role, and that watching Ashley in the studio today has been both helpful and inspiring. Ashley recalls the surprise of learning that Balanchine had chosen to make this first work post-heart surgery on her; as he told her then, Ballade is "like skating," though she describes it as one of the most challenging ballets she ever performed. (1:02:43) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Ballade for piano and orchestra, Op. 19 (1881) by Gabriel Fauré Music performed by New York City Ballet Orchestra with NYCB Solo Pianist Elaine Chelton, conducted by Hugo Fiorato Reading List: Dancing For Balanchine by Merrill Ashley Mr B: George Balanchine’s 20th Century by Jennifer Homans Gabriel Fauré: A Musical Life by Jean-Michel Nectoux, Translated by Roger Nichols Dancing Across the Atlantic: USA – Denmark, 1900-2014 by Erik Aschengreen and Grete Hvam
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Episode 144: New Combinations: Heatscape
09/08/2025
Episode 144: New Combinations: Heatscape
A brand-new season of City Ballet The Podcast launches today with a fresh New Combinations conversation between Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan and Resident Choreographer Justin Peck. Commissioned by Miami City Ballet a decade ago, Peck is in the midst of rehearsing his Heatscape for its NYCB stage debut, with the help of original dancers and coaches Michael Sean Breeden, Patricia Delgado, and Jeannette Delgado. He shares what drew him to Bohuslav Martinů's Piano Concerto No. 1, a piece that both references earlier works and prefigures musical changes to come—an interesting parallel to Peck's Miami-inspired choreography and collaboration with artist Shepard Fairey on the ballet's scintillating backdrop. (37:09) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co
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Episode 143: Bonus: 24-25 Season Wrap-Up
06/23/2025
Episode 143: Bonus: 24-25 Season Wrap-Up
As we shift gears to prepare for the upcoming season, Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan take a moment to reflect on our just-concluded 76th year, from two strikingly unique and unforgettable world premieres—from Resident Choreographer Justin Peck and Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky—to the return of cherished repertory works, the invaluable presence of coaches Suzanne Farrell and Merrill Ashley in the rehearsal studios, and much, much more. They celebrate the freedom and boldness the company displayed in notable debuts, well-earned promotions, and bittersweet retirements, and look forward to the new works and multi-faceted performances on the horizon. (39:52) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra (1929) by by Igor Stravinsky Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 (1875) by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky
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Episode 142: The Rosin Box: Ask the Dancer
06/16/2025
Episode 142: The Rosin Box: Ask the Dancer
Join us around the Rosin Box for our annual listener-contributed "Ask the Dancers" episode. Our intrepid hosts Claire and Aarón and special guest Corps de Ballet Member Lars Nelson answer your questions about rehearsal wear, dancing with Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, remembering steps, and more—including, "Explain dogs at New York City Ballet." (39:06) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
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Episode 141: The Rosin Box: Choreographers and their Casts
06/09/2025
Episode 141: The Rosin Box: Choreographers and their Casts
Hosts Claire and Aarón are back at the Rosin Box, joined this week by Principal Dancers Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia to talk about the relationship between choreographer and dancer in the creation of new works—especially in the case of Tiler's Concerto for Two Pianos from 2024, which featured Roman. As they share, the process is like a conversation between artists on both sides of the studio and relies heavily on trust. Tiler highlights the necessary balance between celebrating individual dancers' strengths with making a timeless work, while Roman describes feeling deeply invested in the success of her ballet's premiere. (34:11) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
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Episode 140: The Rosin Box: Center Stage
06/02/2025
Episode 140: The Rosin Box: Center Stage
The Rosin Box is back with hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz delivering insiders' insights into the lives and times of today's NYCB dancers. This week they're joined by Principal Dancer Megan Fairchild, who will be retiring next spring, and Corps de Ballet Member Dominika Afanasenkov, who joined the company just over two years ago. They share what it's like to take center stage, from the nerves and coaching that accompanied their earliest lead roles to taking on a "diva" persona—and the one word that marked a turning point for Megan. (37:47) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
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Episode 139: New Combinations: When We Fell
05/12/2025
Episode 139: New Combinations: When We Fell
Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan is back for another exciting New Combinations conversation. This week, she's joined by choreographer Kyle Abraham, whose When We Fell makes its onstage debut this spring after premiering as a dance film in 2021. Abraham shares how this fourth work for NYCB represents both the culmination of relationships he's built with company artists over the years, as well as a departure, in that the score is four minimal, "poetic" piano pieces that encourage a "focused eye." As he shares, part of what makes working with NYCB so special is the opportunity to take risks. (33:37) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co
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Episode 138: See the Music: Divertimento from 'Le Baiser de la Fée'
05/05/2025
Episode 138: See the Music: Divertimento from 'Le Baiser de la Fée'
Music Director Andrew Litton invites us to See the Music in this enlightening introduction to the score for George Balanchine's 1972 ballet, Divertimento from ‘Le Baiser de la Fée.' With superlative accompaniment from Solo Pianist Elaine Chelton, Litton demonstrates the many ways in which Igor Stravinsky's "homage to Tschaikovsky" took inspiration from 16 different piano pieces by the legendary composer to weave an undeniably Stravinskian—and danceable, in Balanchine's word—orchestral suite. (11:42): Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky Le Baiser de la Fée (1928) by Igor Stravinsky Le Baiser de la Fée performed by Elaine Chelton
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Episode 137: Hear the Dance: Sonatine
04/28/2025
Episode 137: Hear the Dance: Sonatine
Silas Farley returns with another Hear the Dance conversation, focusing this week on the George Balanchine pas de deux Sonatine, choreographed in 1975 as the opening ballet for the company's Ravel Festival. Repertory Director Christine Redpath shares memories of performing in that festival and of watching Sonatine's original dancers Violette Verdy and the late Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, commemorated in this episode by former Principal Dancer Peter Boal, while Principal Dancer Megan Fairchild describes the ways in which this ballet taught her that a single piece can have "many textures." (56:31) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Sonatine for Piano (1905) by Maurice Ravel All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra, All Sonatine excerpts played by NYCB Solo Pianist Elaine Chelton Reading List: Thirty Years: The New York City Ballet by Lincoln Kirstein Repertory in Review: Forty Years of The New York City Ballet by Nancy Reynolds, with an Introduction by Lincoln Kirstein Balanchine Then and Now Edited by Anne Hogan Mr. B: George Balanchine’s 20th Century by Jennifer Homans Ravel by Roger Nichols Maurice Ravel: A Life by Benjamin Ivry The Cambridge Companion to Ravel by Deborah Mawer Ballerina: A Biography of Violette Verdy by Victoria Huckenpahler Violette Verdy by Dominique Delouche and Florence Poudrou
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Episode 136: Hear the Dance: A Suite of Dances (Part 2)
04/22/2025
Episode 136: Hear the Dance: A Suite of Dances (Part 2)
In this second part of our Hear the Dance journey into Jerome Robbins' A Suite of Dances, Cellist Hannah Holman joins host Silas Farley to provide a deep-dive introduction to the Bach Cello Suites that provide the ballet's exquisite score. As Holman explains, the music is a seminal work for every cellist, with complex challenges and varied delights throughout—all of which are complicated and enriched when performed onstage with the work's solo dancer. (42:48) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky 6 Suites for Solo Cello: Prelude & Gigue from Suite 1 in G major, BMV 1007 Sarabande from Suite V in C minor, BMV 1011 Prelude from VI in D major, BMV 1012 by Johann Sebastian Bach Symphony No.4 in E Minor, op.98 (I. Allegro non troppo, II.Andante moderato, III. Allegro giocoso, IV. Allegro energico e passionato) by Johann Sebastian Bach All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra, Yo-Yo Ma and Herbert von Karajan Reading List: Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins by Amanda Vaill Jerome Robbins, By Himself: Selections from His Letters, Journals, Drawings, Photographs, and an Unfinished Memoir Edited and with Commentary by Amanda Vaill Misha: The Mikhail Baryshnikov Story by Barbara Aria Illusions of Camelot: A Memoir by Peter Boal Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven by John Eliot Gardiner
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Episode 135: Hear the Dance: A Suite of Dances (Part 1)
04/22/2025
Episode 135: Hear the Dance: A Suite of Dances (Part 1)
This week, Hear the Dance host Silas Farley leads us on a wide-ranging exploration of Jerome Robbins' 1994 ballet A Suite of Dances. First, he's joined by Repertory Director Jean-Pierre Frohlich, who coaches the work; Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht, who initially learned the tour-de-force role in 2019; and former Principal Dancer Peter Boal, who worked with Robbins on the development of the ballet. They walk through the creation and performance of the four movements, highlighting the ways in which A Suite of Dances teaches the performer about themselves—particularly as they grow with and age alongside the piece. (1:05:11) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky 6 Suites for Solo Cello: Prelude & Gigue from Suite 1 in G major, BMV 1007 Sarabande from Suite V in C minor, BMV 1011 Prelude from VI in D major, BMV 1012 by Johann Sebastian Bach All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra Reading List: Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins by Amanda Vaill Jerome Robbins, By Himself: Selections from His Letters, Journals, Drawings, Photographs, and an Unfinished Memoir Edited and with Commentary by Amanda Vaill Misha: The Mikhail Baryshnikov Story by Barbara Aria Illusions of Camelot: A Memoir by Peter Boal Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven by John Eliot Gardiner
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Episode 134: The Rosin Box: Students on Stage
04/14/2025
Episode 134: The Rosin Box: Students on Stage
This week around the Rosin Box, hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz are talking about students on stage, with the help of two dancers at either end of that journey: 12-year-old (soon to be 13!) Theo Rochios, a current student at the School of American Ballet, and Soloist Harrison Coll, who is a substitute teacher at SAB. They share some of the challenges, thrills, and lessons dancers take on while at the School, and trade stories about the ultimate students-on-stage ballet: George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®. (1:05:11) Edited by Gus Reed Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
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Episode 133: The Rosin Box: Dance Pop Culture
04/07/2025
Episode 133: The Rosin Box: Dance Pop Culture
The chat around the Rosin Box this week is all about dance in pop culture, with hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz joined by Corps de Ballet Members Naomi Corti and Grace Scheffel. From Center Stage and web series like city.ballet and Strictly Ballet—featuring, among others, NYCB's own Mimi Staker and Alec Knight—to memoirs by legends like Margot Fonteyn, the dancers share the media that inspired their earliest interest in the art form, as well as all the pop moments they've enjoyed (and critiqued) since joining the company, like the "ballet core" fashion trend and the thing the movies most often get wrong (hint: it's all about the bun). (48:11) Edited by Gus Reed Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
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Episode 132: The Rosin Box: First Steps
04/01/2025
Episode 132: The Rosin Box: First Steps
We're back at the Rosin Box for another candid conversation with hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz. This week, they're joined by Corps de Ballet Member and budding choreographer Laine Habony to talk about NYCB's First Steps program. This singular initiative gives current company dancers the opportunity to create new works on their peers, providing a professional cast and environment for first-time or early-career dancemakers. As Laine shares, this eye-opening experience provided both an education in what it takes to move to the front of the room and the validation that accompanies seeing the steps she'd envisioned come to life. (43:04) Edited by Gus Reed Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
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Episode 131: New Combinations: Paquita
02/03/2025
Episode 131: New Combinations: Paquita
Host and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan is back with another intimate New Combinations conversation, joined this week by Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky. They discuss the origins—both within history and in Ratmansky's own career—of the Petipa ballet Paquita, excerpts of which provide the foundations for his newest ballet for the company. Ratmansky explains his use of Balanchine's Minkus Pas de Trois in revisiting this "feast of classical dancing," and the ways in which his work brings extensive research into conversation with the vocabulary of today's dancers. (30:45) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co.
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Episode 130: Hear the Dance: The Cage
01/27/2025
Episode 130: Hear the Dance: The Cage
Hear the Dance host Silas Farley is joined by Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan and former Soloists Repertory Director Jean-Pierre Frohlich and Repetiteur Diana White for a conversation about Jerome Robbins' The Cage. From its "empowering" choreography to the manners in which the relationship between the Mother and the Novice mimic that of senior and newer members of the company, they describe the unique qualities of this ballet beloved by dancers and audiences alike. (59:01 Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto in D for String Orchestra, "Basler" (1946) by Igor Stravinsky Performed by New York City Ballet Orchestra Reading List: 1. Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins by Amanda Vaill 2. Jerome Robbins, by Himself: Selections from His Letters, Journals, Drawings, Photographs, and an Unfinished Memoir by Jerome Robbins, Edited by Amanda Vaill 3. Jerome Robbins: A Life in Dance by Wendy Lesser 4. Stravinsky: A Creative Spring: Russia and France, 1882-1934 by Stephen Walsh 5. Stravinsky: The Second Exile, France and America, 1934-1971 by Stephen Walsh 6. The Stravinsky Festival of the New York City Ballet by Nancy Goldner
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Episode 129: New Combinations: Mystic Familiar
01/20/2025
Episode 129: New Combinations: Mystic Familiar
In this episode of New Combinations, host and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan is joined by Resident Choreographer Justin Peck in the lead-up to the world premiere of his latest work for the company, Mystic Familiar. Peck shares the thematic underpinnings of this "younger brother" to his 2017 ballet The Times Are Racing, which brings together many of the same artists as that earlier work. They discuss the ways in which Mystic Familiar celebrates the dancers' communal energy in an anthem-like The Four Temperaments for the 21st Century. (35:23) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co
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Episode 128: Hear the Dance: Concerto Barocco
01/13/2025
Episode 128: Hear the Dance: Concerto Barocco
City Ballet The Podcast returns with a new Hear the Dance episode exploring George Balanchine's Concerto Barocco. Host Silas Farley is joined by three former NYCB dancers whose engagement with this foundational ballet continues today: SAB Senior Faculty Chair Suki Schorer, Balanchine Repetiteur Victoria Simon, and SAB Faculty Member Meagan Mann. Together they trace the highlights and unique demands of Barocco's four distinct movements, describing how the apparent simplicity of the ballet demands plenty of hard work and helps build community amongst the dancers. (1:00:28) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto in D minor for Two Violins, B.W.V. 1043 by Johann Sebastian Bach Performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra Kurt Nikkanen and Arturo Delmoni, Violin Soloists Aria with Variations in G, BWV 988 (1742), "The Goldberg Variations" by Johann Sebastian Bach Performed by Susan Walters, Pianist Reading List: 1. Repertory in Review: 40 Years of the New York City Ballet by Nancy Reynolds, with an Introduction by Lincoln Kirstein 2. Thirty Years: Lincoln Kirstein’s The New York City Ballet by Lincoln Kirstein 3. Balanchine and Kirstein’s American Enterprise by James Steichen 4. Suki Schorer on Balanchine Technique by Suki Schorer and Russell Lee 5. Balanchine Pointework by Suki Schorer 6. Balanchine Then and Now Edited by Ann Hogan 7. Balanchine’s Ballerinas: Conversations with the Muses by Robert Tracy with Sharon DeLano 8. Balanchine the Teacher: Fundamentals That Shaped the First Generation of New York City Ballet Dancers by Barbara Walczak and Una Kai 9. Balanchine Variations by Nancy Goldner 10. Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven by John Eliot Gardiner
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Episode 127: The Rosin Box: Re-mounting Ballets
11/25/2024
Episode 127: The Rosin Box: Re-mounting Ballets
Claire and Aarón are joined at The Rosin Box this week by Sandra Jennings, a former NYCB dancer who is now a repetiteur for the George Balanchine Trust, for a conversation about staging ballets on current performers. As Sandra shares, she travels the world to coach companies of various ballet backgrounds in Mr. B's works, acting as a bridge between the choreographer's vision and the artists of today; as she explains, these ballets are "living, breathing works of art" that are brought to life by the individual dancers. (59:26) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
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Episode 126: The Rosin Box: Company Class
11/18/2024
Episode 126: The Rosin Box: Company Class
This week, hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz take the podcast from The Rosin Box to the barre for a conversation about company class, joined by Corps de Ballet Member Christina Clark and former NYCB dancer and current class teacher Amanda Edge. They talk all things real estate, fashion, and Destiny's Child vs. Ludwig Minkus, highlighting the importance of this daily ritual for building a sense of community as well as personal growth. (53:40) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
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Episode 125: The Rosin Box: Ballet Myths
11/11/2024
Episode 125: The Rosin Box: Ballet Myths
The Rosin Box returns! Hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz are back with another candid conversation, joined this time by Principal Dancer Unity Phelan and Corps de Ballet Member Naomi Corti. They break down some of the most common myths about ballet and Company culture, from whether performers are like the characters in Black Swan to the pros and cons of dating other dancers, and what the perfect "ballerina pedicure" entails. (49:12) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
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Episode 124: New Combinations: Caili Quan
09/30/2024
Episode 124: New Combinations: Caili Quan
Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan is back for a New Combinations conversation with Caili Quan, one of three women choreographers whose ballets make up this year's Fall Fashion Gala program. They discuss Quan's path from studying dance while growing up on Guam to moving to New York City and performing with BalletX for eight seasons, and her transition to full-time choreography. Quan shares the ways her culture, family, and sense of home emerge within the work and contribute to the "warmth, grace, and generosity of spirit" Whelan felt when watching Quan in the studio. Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co
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Episode 123: Hear the Dance: Everywhere We Go
09/23/2024
Episode 123: Hear the Dance: Everywhere We Go
This week, host Silas Farley is back for another fascinating Hear the Dance conversation exploring Everywhere We Go. Silas is joined by Resident Choreographer Justin Peck and former Company Member Gretchen Smith, who met when they were barely teenagers dancing at the San Francisco Ballet School and collaborated several times over the ensuing years. Justin describes his development as a dance maker leading up the 2014 premiere, as well as his unique creative partnership with composer Sufjan Stevens, while Gretchen shares how dancing the ballet is "sheer joy." (57:19) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Everywhere We Go (2014) by Sufjan Stevens All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra Reading List: The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Ballet Edited by Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel and Jill Nunes-Jensen Illinoise Broadway Musical: An In-Depth Review and Guide to the Illinois Theatre Play of Sufjan Stevens and Justin Peck Unveiling the Cast, Profile of Creators, Production Journey, Behind the Scenes, and Impact of the Show by Naomi Jeffrey Marcel Dzama: The Book of Ballet by Marel Dzama, Justin Peck, and Hans Christian Andersen Words Without Music: A Memoir by Philip Glass
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Episode 122: See the Music: Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2
09/16/2024
Episode 122: See the Music: Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2
This week's episode of City Ballet The Podcast is a previously recorded See the Music presentation hosted by NYCB Music Director Andrew Litton. Accompanied by the Orchestra and Solo Pianist Susan Walters, Maestro Litton describes why Tschaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 2—the score for the Balanchine ballet of the same name—is less frequently performed than his first, despite being beloved by soloists and rich with beautifully romantic flourishes. Balanchine considered Tschaikovsky a "soulmate," a feeling borne out by his ability to make the composer's slightly less-genius works great with his choreography. (15:57) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky Piano Concerto No. 2 in G, Op. 44 (1879-80) by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky
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Episode 121: Hear the Dance: Duo Concertant
09/09/2024
Episode 121: Hear the Dance: Duo Concertant
City Ballet The Podcast returns just in time for the upcoming 24-25 Season. Hear the Dance host Silas Farley is joined by legendary former Principal Dancer and current School of American Ballet faculty member Kay Mazzo and Principal Dancer Anthony Huxley to discuss George Balanchine's Duo Concertant, one of the new works to premiere during the 1972 Stravinsky Festival. Mazzo shares her memories of the speed with which Balanchine choreographed each of the four movements, and commiserates with Huxley on the many unique challenges the ballet presents, including interacting with the piano and violin that share the stage—a "commentary on the festival itself," in Farley's words, as it honored Stravinsky's music and his importance to the Company. (48:57) Written by Silas Farley Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra Reading List: Stravinsky and Balanchine: A Journey of Invention by Charles M. Joseph Mr. B: George Balanchine’s 20th Century by Jennifer Homans Stravinsky’s Ballets by Charles M. Joseph Stravinsky Inside Out by Charles M. Joseph An Autobiography by Igor Stravinsky Stravinsky: A Creative Spring: Russia and France, 1882-1934 by Stephen Walsh Stravinsky: The Second Exile: France and America, 1934-1971 by Stephen Walsh Stravinsky: Chronicle of a Friendship by Robert Craft Stravinsky: Discoveries and Memories by Robert Craft The Stravinsky Festival of The New York City Ballet by Nancy Goldner Balanchine’s Ballerinas: Conversations with the Muses by Robert Tracy Balanchine Variations by Nancy Goldner
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Episode 120: Bonus: 23-24 Season Wrap-Up
06/17/2024
Episode 120: Bonus: 23-24 Season Wrap-Up
As the Company concludes a Diamond Anniversary season absolutely bursting with repertory favorites, new restorations, world premieres, and successful tour stops around the world, Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan talk about what went into planning and presenting the year's many achievements. From triumphant debuts to the return of dancers featured in NYCB's original opening night 75 years ago, and a number of significant firsts on the Company's stage—including the first new work from Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, the first Black Dewdrops in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®, and the first non-binary pas de deux in Justin Peck's The Times Are Racing—they had much to celebrate, all while looking toward NYCB's, and the artform's, ever-expanding future. (40:43) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra (1929) by Igor Stravinsky Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 (1875) by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky
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Episode 119: The Rosin Box: Ask the Dancer
06/10/2024
Episode 119: The Rosin Box: Ask the Dancer
One of our favorite episodes of The Rosin Box has arrived: this season's Ask the Dancer! Hosts Claire and Aarón are joined by Corps de Ballet Member India Bradley to answer your questions and dish about everything dance life, from what's in her dance bag to the ballet that "woke her up" to the possibilities of ballet, which are her favorite costumes and how she likes to prepare for a performance, and beyond. (46:11) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
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Episode 118: The Rosin Box: Dancing Your Way Out of It
06/03/2024
Episode 118: The Rosin Box: Dancing Your Way Out of It
This week, hosts Claire and Aarón are joined at The Rosin Box by Soloist Megan LeCrone who gets real about what happens when things do not go as planned onstage. As they all agree, a certain degree of unpredictability is unavoidable in a live performance art like ballet; knowing how to pivot and when to let go after the fact is essential for any dancer. Megan shares her own experiences with a malfunctioning backdrop in one case and a missed count in another, and what it's like to face the challenges—and thrive—in a "rite of passage" show. (53:30) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
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Episode 117: The Rosin Box: Behind the Scenes of the Spring Gala
05/27/2024
Episode 117: The Rosin Box: Behind the Scenes of the Spring Gala
This week, The Rosin Box makes its star-studded season debut with an episode all about NYCB galas. Listen in on live coverage from the most recent red carpet with hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz, and a post-fête conversation with Corps de Ballet Member and style maven Olivia Boisson. They'll discuss all the glitz and glamour and give helpful tips for thriving at these thrilling, twice-a-year events—including making the transition from pointe shoes to sky-high heels. (39:31) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
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Episode 116: See the Music: Scènes de Ballet
05/20/2024
Episode 116: See the Music: Scènes de Ballet
This week, Associate Music Director Andrews Sill invites us to See the Music of Igor Stravinsky's Scènes de Ballet, the eponymous score for Christopher Wheeldon's 1999 work. Sill relates that the piece was composed in 1944 for Broadway impresario Billy Rose, and drew inspiration from both world events and a variety of creative sources—including the ballet Giselle—as with so many of Stravinsky's singular compositions. (12:49) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky Scènes de Ballet (1944) by Igor Stravinsky, Performed by Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Who Cares?: The Man I Love (1924) by George Gershwin, Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Scènes de Ballet (1944) by Igor Stravinsky, Performed by BBC Symphony Orchestra
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